Henry h



H. H. BR'ITT.

LUMBER GAGE.

(No Model.)

Patented Au`g. 2'1, 1894.

I nventor.' alfa/lying XM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. BRITT, oF CLINTON, NORTH CAROLINA.`

lLUMBER-GAGE.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,930, dated August 21,1894.

Application filed February '7. 1894. Serial No. 499,408. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, HENRY H. BRITT, a citi-` zen of the United States, and a resident of Clinton, in the county of Sampson and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lumber- Gages; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled' in the art to which it appertains t6 make-and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to'improvements in lumber gages and itsobject is to provide an improved construction of the same whereby the grooves in flooring boards may be gaged in order to determine their character and by means of which also the width of said boards can be readily ascertained. i

As is well known to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains there are several diderent styles of tongue and grooved boards manufactured, the grooves of which.

By my invention, however, these diiiz'erent styles can be` readily gaged or determined, and the width of the board also ascertained.

Theinvention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafa removable tongue 4, corresponding in shape and size, in cross section, with the groove in one of the dierent standards of flooring boards. This block is also formed with a recess 5, to receive another tongue 6, corresponding with another` standard. These tongues are removable and interchangeable in the groove 3, being held therein by frictional contact. The said ribs 2 and the grooves are lined with metal 7 to prevent wear. The numeral 8 designatesa cap or cover for the recess 5. At diiferent points intermediate the ends of the block and on different sides are formed shoulders 9, 10 and l2. The inner ends of the ribs 2 also form shoulders 13. These shoulders in connection with an adjustable screw rod 14, fitting in one end of the block, serve to determine the width of a board. The screw rod 14 is provided with an angular head `l5.

The operation will be readily understood. To ascertain the standard of a grooved flooring boardit is only necessary to insert one of the tongues in the groove 3, and then apply it to the groove in the board, and if it accurately tits therein the standard will be that corresponding with said tongue. These tongues may be marked or numbered if desired, so that they can be' readilydistinguished from each other. By means of the shoulders on the blockand the screw rod, the width of boards may be readily gaged, the head l5 of said rod being adjustable to and from the block by rotating the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isi v A lumber gage comprising the block having a recess at one end provided with a removable cover and having its `opposite end reduced forming shoulders at varying distances from the extremity, the adjustable screw rod having an angular head, the parallel ribs on one face of the block the interchangeable tongues adapted to fit `between "and be held by said ribs, and the shoulder formed on the opposite face of the block, sub'- stantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the` foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. BRITT.

Witnesses: LAUCHLIN A. BETHUNE, R. H. HUBBAED. 

